Need a long list... So far I have...

[Mandyville]

Just starting to think about a name for DC2 so I'm writing lists. What should I knock off? What else might I like? (I'm not keen on the ie/y ending for girls.) DD's name is top 20 - I'm more interested in a nice name than being unusual per se. Our surname is long and hard to spell, so I should probably take length/ease of spelling into account.

Boy

Joseph
Isaac
Leo
Samuel
Arran
Saul
Aidan
Max
Robert

Girl

Anneke
Rowan
Alana/Elena/Helena
Lorna
Astrid
Ingrid
Seren

Some lovely names on your list!
IMO, if you are wanting to avoid your DC having to clarify the spelling of their first name (as well as their surname!) I would personally cross the following off the lists: Arran, Saul, Anneke, Alana, Elena, Helena and perhaps Seren (unless you are welsh?).

My favourites (if you are interested!) are Leo and Lorna (I haven't heard Lorna in ages - really lovely name, but too similar to my own so I can't use it )

I know you're right about those spellings, MCB! Can't decide how much it matters...

How much does it bother you having to spell out your surname?
I have to spell out my surname (and had to with my maiden name too) so am quite glad that my first name is pretty straight forward. That said, I don't think it should be a deal-breaker if your favourite name is a little on the unusual side. And there is always some plonker who can't spell your name properly however straight forward it is .

Ah, well... I didn't change my name! So I'm just trying to guess at how annoying it is! I did have to register the name as my recognized alias during a spell abroad, but I never used it!

Leo and Joseph were both on my boys shortlist (had dd3 sixmonths ago )
Elena and Helena were also floating around the list as well , ended up going with another name but I really like these.

Anneke and Seren are my favourites from your list. Isaac, Leo or Max for boys.

If I was going to edit your list I'd leave in...

Leo
Samuel
Saul
Max

Rowan
Elena/Helena
Lorna
Astrid

I love Seren (don't think it matters if you're not Welsh...), Rowan, Alana and Anneke - although she may have to spell that out as well as her surname.

I'm ambivalent about your boys names tbh, but then I've only ever found one boys name I like (DS's -currently PG and dreading the struggle to find another if it's a boy).

And I really don't like Lorna - I never have - maybe I knew a nasty one when I was younger, it just sounds ugly to me...

What about: Orla, Ariane, India?

Joseph
Isaac
Leo
Samuel
Arran
Saul
Aidan
Max
Robert

Girl

Anneke Annika
Rowan
Alana/Elena /Helena
Lorna
Astrid
Ingrid
Seren

I would leave all the names on your list. I would change the spelling of Anneke to Annika just to be clear it's not 'Anneek' and would stick to Helena (drop Alana and Elena).

Are you living in some part of the world where people are illiterate or don't speak English? The names on your list are really straightforward and most people would not be left scratching their heads in bewilderment upon hearing them or seeing them written down.

Boy

Joseph, Isaac, Samuel, Aidan and Robert all very nice names.

Saul is OK but a bit odd. Leo and Max fine if short for something longer.

Don't like Arran (too much like Darren) but love Aaron pronounced Air-on.

Girl

Helena and Lorna very nice.

Anneke, Astrid and Ingrid too harsh.

Seren OK but faddy, prefer Serena.

Alana and Elena I'd guess you weren't from the UK.

Rowan too unisex/male (Rowan Williams, Rowan Atkinson). I like Rowena though.

Nice not to be shot down in flames!

LaTristesse I do like Orla. Maybe that should go on the list to think about. Not sure about Ariane and have some bizarre prejudice against India (even though I know a really nice one).

mathanxiety it's not that everyone here is illiterate! I suppose I'm just trying to gauge how annoying it is to have to spell out both first and surnames. Currently I only have to spell my first name, and DH only has to spell his surname. Depending on what we choose, DC might have to spell both!

I'd welcome other suggestions, by the way. DH and I agreed on DD's name in about 20 seconds flat but I suspect that this one will be MUCH harder!

Did I miss something? I didn't see anyone take a shot at you Mandyville, so far as far as I can see everyone likes at least some of your names and there's been a bit of general advice to go for easy spellings if you're bothered by peoples errors. I didn't read any of the comments here as an attack and so I'm a bit confused, especially since one of the above comments was mine and I was absolutely certain I'd writen it with good intentions. No one's gunning for you, honestly.

The names you listed are lovely and imo would not cause any spelling or pronunciation problems.

As far as how annoying it might be -- I don't find it annoying to have to spell out my own first name, but that's just me. My (married) surname is a fairly obvious English sounding name that plenty of people get wrong despite how obvious it looks to me. Not annoying necessarily, just something I scratch my head at from time to time.

The upside is that it makes it easy to detect sales calls when they mispronounce my name (I don't have caller ID). Even the DCs usually say 'she's not here' when they hear either first or last name mispronounced.

An interesting mix! My choices would be:

Joseph
Isaac
Leo

Rowan (really lovely)
Helena (only)
Astrid
Ingrid
Seren

The only ones I actively dislike are Saul and Lorna.

Did I miss something? - er, possibly the word 'not'

I love Leo but we can't use it. Vote Leo!

Thanks, Natters! Yes, it's true - I am quite happy with all the help/advice and not at all upset or anything! Saffron I promise I wasn't being sarcastic when I said: "Nice not to get shot down in flames". I was genuinely pleased to have a short list with some reasonably pleasing (to MN) names on it. Honest!

Thanks math for your take on spellings. I guess it's really not a big, big hassle.

Instant - what would Leo be short for? I'm inclined to say that it stands by itself. I'm not a Leonard or Leopold fan...! I'd always prefer to give a 'full' name for the birth cert, but I thought Leo would count...?

I would consider Leo a name by itself I think traditionally it has been for a long time...? Perhaps I'm mistaken though.

I love Leo, it was my first choice for dd1, also my first choice for dd2 and dd3 . Just Leo on its own. Joseph was my 2nd choice!

Leo was our first choice for DD also!

Unfortunately now we are actually having a DS SIL had just moved in with her boyfriend... Leo.

Darn it.

Not Arran or Aiden!

LaWeasel well at least its a nice dilemma to have , hope all goes well.

Lovely girls names - very similar to my list except I don't like Seren. I've also got Margot, Fern, Esther and Simone.